"Oh my goodness..." Ma Hongjun swallowed involuntarily, his beady eyes practically glowing. "Those two girls... Damn, they're smoking hot! Absolute stunners!"
Oscar followed his gaze. His eyes immediately fixed on the elegant girl in the goose-yellow dress, and he licked his dry lips without thinking. He murmured:
"Good heavens... That girl in yellow... She's the woman of my dreams! She's everything I've ever imagined in a future wife!"
Even Dai Mubai, down in the dumps as he was, glanced over. A flicker of admiration passed through his eyes, but quickly faded, leaving behind a tangled, bitter helplessness.
Before, with his personality and his "assets," he would've been over there with a glass in hand, striking up a conversation. But now...
"Looks like... there are only two of them?"
Ma Hongjun took a look around and saw no companions near the two women. His courage swelled. He stood up, rubbing his hands together with a leering grin.
"Heh heh, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance!"
"Boss Dai, Oscar, what do you say? Should we... go introduce ourselves?"
Dai Mubai's bitterness deepened, but he forced himself to keep up appearances. He waved a hand dismissively and put on a grand show of magnanimity.
"Please. What kind of woman hasn't Dai Mubai seen?"
"These two... You can have them! Go on, enjoy yourselves."
His words sounded bold, but his faintly trembling voice and the unease deep in his eyes betrayed his weakness.
Oscar was delighted. He got up at once and urged Ma Hongjun along. "Come on, Fatty! You've got to seize the moment! Let's go say hello!"
The two straightened their clothes and put on what they thought were their most handsome, friendly smiles. Then they walked up on either side of Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong, who had just ordered and were heading back to their seats, blocking their way.
Oscar stepped forward first, striking what he thought was a dashing, carefree pose. Then he opened with a pickup line he'd used many times before:
"Hello, beautiful ladies. Good evening."
"You seem to be on your own. Would you mind if two warm, friendly Soul Masters joined you for dinner?"
As he spoke, he stared straight at Ning Rongrong.
Zhu Zhuqing stopped. Without even looking at them, she coldly said, "Move."
Ma Hongjun chuckled. Far from moving aside, he turned sideways to block their way. His beady eyes roamed over Zhu Zhuqing's curvaceous figure without restraint as he grinned lecherously.
"Beautiful, don't be so cold."
"Meeting like this must be fate. Why not make a friend?"
"Your big brother here is a powerful Soul Master, you know!"
Ning Rongrong looked at the two sleazy, smooth-talking men before her. Her pretty brows drew together, and disgust flashed in her eyes.
Not far away, Tang San watched the scene with a slight frown and quietly said to Mu Bai:
"Mu Bai, what Oscar and Fatty are doing... isn't right, is it?"
"What if those two ladies have companions, or... aren't people to mess with?"
Dai Mubai was already in a foul mood. He waved him off impatiently, speaking like a worldly veteran lecturing a greenhorn.
"Xiao San, you just don't understand."
"This is part of our cultivation, too. Doesn't Dean Flender always say—"
"'A Soul Master who doesn't dare cause trouble isn't a good Soul Master!' As the saying goes, 'Those who don't dare cause trouble are good-for-nothings!'"
He paused and glanced at Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong, his tone scornful. "Besides, they're just two women on their own in a place this chaotic. What kind of important background could they have?"
"And even if they do have companions, so what? You think Shrek has no backing? Teacher Zhao is upstairs!"
While Dai Mubai was "educating" Tang San about the "monster sayings" of Shrek Monster Academy, the altercation by the counter quickly escalated.
When Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong refused to give in, Ma Hongjun only grew bolder, his words turning more and more vulgar.
Oscar joined in from the side, trying to show off his "humor" and "charm."
Ning Rongrong's expression turned completely cold.
She stopped wasting words and took a black card from her Storage Soul Tool, tossing it onto the counter with a sharp slap.
"Boy," she said crisply, "I'm buying this hotel."
Her voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire ground-floor hall.
Every diner and server froze, staring in astonishment at the young girl in the goose-yellow dress, whose boldness far outstripped her years.
Then, seven-colored light swirled in Ning Rongrong's palm, and a gorgeous, radiant seven-tiered pagoda appeared out of thin air!
Two yellow Soul Rings circled the tower, releasing a gentle wave of support-type Soul Power!
The Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda!
The greatest support-type Martial Soul in the world!
"Zhuqing, don't waste your breath on trash like them." Ning Rongrong turned to Zhu Zhuqing, her gaze sharp. "Attack!"
Before the words had left her mouth, the first and second Soul Rings around her lit up at once!
"Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, one says: Strength! Two says: Speed!"
Two brilliant streams of seven-colored light, like rainbow bridges, instantly linked to Zhu Zhuqing!
Zhu Zhuqing had already reached the limit of her disgust. The instant she received Ning Rongrong's powerful boosts, she didn't hesitate to complete her Martial Soul Possession!
A pair of furry black cat ears emerged from her hair. Her eyes became cold, vertical pupils, and sharp, blade-like claws sprang from her fingertips. Two yellow Soul Rings rose beneath her feet!
Already swift as the wind, she became a blur of black under the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda's boosts to her strength and speed!
The leers on Oscar and Ma Hongjun's faces had yet to fade before panic and terror took their place!
They hadn't expected the women to attack without warning, let alone strike with such deadly force!
"Whoosh—whoosh—whoosh—"
Zhu Zhuqing swept between them like a phantom, her claws flashing with a frigid gleam!
"Ah!"
"My arm!"
Their shrill screams rang out almost simultaneously!
Several horrifying claw marks, deep enough to expose bone, burst across Oscar and Ma Hongjun's bodies. Blood sprayed out like fountains!
They screamed as they were sent flying, crashing into several tables and chairs before collapsing to the floor. For a moment, the pain left them unable to get back up; all they could do was groan.
It had all happened in the blink of an eye!
"The Hell Spirit Cat?! This is bad! We've run into a tough one!"
Dai Mubai's expression changed instantly. His words of "wisdom" still echoed in his ears, but now all he felt was panic.
He shot to his feet and shouted to the equally stunned Tang San, "Xiao San! Quick! Let's go!"
He was a Soul Elder, after all. Though the damage to his "hard body" had greatly weakened his strength and shaken his confidence, he couldn't just stand by while his companions were beaten.
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